Trying
by SevenShades
Summary: During the break, Clare wonders if she should remain with Eli, while Alli seethes over Drew. Meanwhile, Drew and Eli both decide to simply... try. After sneak-outs, fake-dates, and cemetery visits, the boys still won't give up. Now AU, sort of.
1. Maybe

**I spent a quarter of the summer watching and obsessing over The Boiling Point episodes. Yeah, yeah, I'm an Eli fan. Who isn't? But I also love Drew-when he's not screwing up his relationship with Alli, that is. Since the break is obviously not going to be covered on TV, I'm writing it. I hope you like it...**

**Chapter 1: Maybe**

"Here." Clare tossed the carton of ice cream to Alli, who was curled up in a ball on the couch. Alli was supposed to be trapped inside her own house, just as Clare currently was, but she'd managed to sneak out and escape to a safe haven under her parents' noses. Besides, Sav was in much bigger trouble than she was—though Drew's mother was an evil hag, Drew had at least defended her afterward. That's what Alli suspected, anyway. She wasn't even sure if her boyfriend… her _ex_-boyfriend was nice enough to stand up for her anymore.

The point was, Audra Torres hadn't told Mr. and Mrs. Bhandari all the details of their daughter's alleged situation in the boiler room. But Alli, like Clare, was still grounded.  
Clare's house wasn't the ideal safe haven an outsider might imagine, but it was better than Alli's house, where her mom and dad were constantly screaming at Sav for disappointing them, as well as having such a 'common whore' for a girlfriend. They weren't much better than Drew's mother.

On the other hand, Clare's parents were just glad that she hadn't died. They were still furiously upset with her, yet trusted her enough to leave her alone in the house for the night, expecting her not to leave or to invite any friends.

That was stupid.

Sav, Holly J, Alli, Clare, Drew, Eli, and especially Fitz—they were all in trouble for being out and around while the school was in lockdown, and Mr. Simpson hadn't held back when reporting to their parents. The break was promised to be hell for them.

Clare could see that Alli was biting her lip and trying to keep herself from complaining about the ice cream. Clare knew she hated anything coffee flavored that wasn't actually _coffee_, and the fact that she wasn't speaking her mind at the moment proved how upset she was.

"So, you're not reuniting with Drew any time in the future?" Clare dared to ask.

Alli's ferocious glare burned into her best friend's bright blue eyes with a fire so blistering hot that Clare was afraid her own irises would pop and burst into flames under Alli's heated gaze.

"I'll take that as a _no_," Clare said, attempting for a breezy tone of voice.

Alli softened somewhat. She pulled off the lid of the carton, dug her spoon in, and quipped, "What about you and Eli? Everything's just fine and dandy, isn't it?"

Her voice, permanently sarcastic as usual, was comforting. "Uh, not really," Clare said, clearing her throat. She took her own spoon, plopped down next to Alli, and stabbed the utensil into the hard, frozen ice cream. "I'm not sure if I want to be with him anymore."

Alli choked on her mouthful of ice cream, whether from the taste or Clare's words. "Why? It's not like he _cheated on you _or anything."

That was true. "Yeah, but he tries to get killed at every chance he gets."

"So you don't want a dead boy on your hands." It was a statement, not a question, and a blunt one at that.

"I don't want to get hurt again!" Clare exploded. "KC was enough. Eli… Eli practically killed his last girlfriend. And even after something as—as tragic as that, he doesn't even _try_ to be more careful." She tugged her spoon out with more force than needed. It clattered to the floor, ice cream flying everywhere.

"Hurt," Alli repeated stiffly. "Like, hurt if you found out Bianca De_Slut_sa went down on him?"

Clare flinched. "Alli…"

Her arms dropped limply to her side."_I'm _the hurt one. Not only did Drew give in to Bianca, but his mom also called me a whore—and at the moment, he just stood there and let her do it!"

Clare reached out to soothe her friend, but her phone jangled a familiar tune before the reassuring words could leave her lips. Alli, her boyfriend troubles temporarily forgotten, felt her eyebrows arch reflexively. She was surprised Clare still had her phone—her own cell phone, like her brother's, had both been taken away by their parents. Alli was beginning to suspect that Clare's mom and dad didn't know the whole truth about what had happened on Vegas Night.

"It's Eli," Clare said simply, not even bothering to check the screen. Confusion and panic settled over her doll-like features. "Should I…?"

Alli lifted the ice cream carton from her lap and cradled it in her arms. "Cuh-lare, what happened to being unsure about sticking with him? What happened to that tough-girl rant of yours?"

Clare stopped, set her phone down on the coffee table, and held her head high. "You're right," she agreed. "Boys can be stupid. We'll figure this out together. A two-week break is enough time for…" Her face blanked at a sudden realization. Finishing her sentence, she uttered, "…for Eli to hook up with car-wash girl."

Alli's eyes widened as Clare yelped, snatched her phone up, sifted through her speed dials…

"Stop!" Alli yanked the phone from her hand and pressed END. "What's wrong with you, Clare?"

She looked down, focusing on her shoes. "I love him."

"I know," Alli said briefly. "And I loved Drew. Maybe I still do." Her jerky, robotic movements and heartbroken expression betrayed the hurt she was struggling to hide.

"Maybe," Clare echoed, and she sat down once more.

* * *

Drew pushed the door open ever-so-slightly, creating a small inch of space to peek through. His mother, curled up beside his father, had passed out from the cold medicine she'd taken an hour ago. Audra had fallen sick after lecturing her son and dealing out the punishment nights before, and decided to drag everyone else—except Drew—along with her. Omar, Drew's dad, was sick as well, and Adam was blowing his nose every two minutes. They'd all gone to sleep early, influenced by the pills they'd taken, while Drew waited and watched.

Drew's father snored loudly in his sleep, and his mother made whistling noses like a kettle. Their strange, harmonized duet was a sure sign that they wouldn't notice if he escaped to the Dot before it closed for the night.

Plenty of Degrassi students visited the Dot on break, especially when the sky grew dark and the moon drifted into view. Drew had already bumped into Holly J and Sav there, and a part of him was hoping that Alli would sneak out as well. It was very likely that Alli had managed to masterfully escape from her parents' watchful gazes, but it was less likely that she had done so just to go to the Dot, especially if her brother was constantly there, making out with his girlfriend.

Still, Drew had faith, and his dreams weren't completely crushed when he stepped into the Dot and saw that Alli wasn't present. He spotted another familiar face instead, and was slightly surprised to see him there, headphones on and fingers drumming along to the beat.

"You're here, too?" Drew asked incredulously, sitting across from the boy in black, who immediately pulled off his headphones. "I expected you would get the worst shit from the 'rents. None of the parents in this area are doing their job right."

Prior to this encounter, Drew had shared about two sentences with Eli Goldsworthy in his lifetime, and those sentences had only been spoken due to the fact that Eli was Adam's best friend. Still, Drew was relieved to see someone else from Degrassi. There were other people Drew knew from school, like Riley and Zane, who were grinning at each other over a table, but Eli was the only one who had been part of the running commotions during Vegas Night.

"My parents don't really care," Eli shrugged. "They gave up a long time ago, though they're still pretending to be 'normal' by grounding me. I escaped." His words seemed to be laced with a long, unspoken '_Duh!'_.

"Sounds like the opposite of my mom," Drew said, settling in for a long complaint session. "She was so angry she got sick. It's only been a couple of days, and my break's already a load of crap." He paused. "Hey, have you seen Alli Bhandari around here?"

Eli shook his head. "Have you seen Clare Edwards?"

The two teenage boys stared at each other.

"Oh," said Drew, though neither of them had commented on the obviousness of each girl's location. Girls tended to hang out with each other a lot more than guys did. "That explains a lot."

Eli glanced at him silently. He shifted slightly, and his guitar pick necklace swung into Drew's direct line of vision. Drew wasn't one to judge others on who they hung out with, but he was starting to wonder why his stepbrother liked this kid so much. He was so quiet that you would've thought he was mentally planning out your murder. Their peers at school called him 'emo', a derogatory term, but Eli was the farthest thing from emotional. He showed absolutely no emotion at all. His feelings seemed to be locked up, booby-trapped, and guarded by twenty armed soldiers.

"Hey," Drew said, trying to sound calm and easy. "You're creeping me out, man."

A sarcastic smirk swung itself onto Eli's face. Drew had seen Adam mimicking it before, and he was unsurprised to discover that Eli was the source. "Sorry," he apologized. "You're just so different from Adam. You guys don't seem related at all."

Drew raised a brow. "We're not."

"Really? He always refers to you as his brother."

"Stepbrother," Drew corrected. "We've been stepbros since we were little kids. We're brothers, but not by blood."

Eli lapsed back into silence, and Drew quickly grabbed the opportunity.

"By the way," he said casually, "I think you're scaring away that girlfriend of yours."

His only reaction was a twitch of his nose. "And this is coming from…?"

Drew huffed. "From the guy who screwed up his only good relationship. I know. No need to shove it back into my face."

Eli allowed himself a lazy grin, and Drew had the feeling that he'd just made a strange, very strange new friend.

**Review?**


	2. The

**Thanks for the reviews! They're really encouraging, so if you read this at ALL, could you take some time to tell me your thoughts? It keeps me writing.  
****Drew is going to mess up a lot, but eventually Eli will too. So don't jump to conclusions too quickly.  
Hope you like this chapter...**

**Chapter 2: The**

Minutes after Alli left, Clare crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her head. She didn't bother to undress; she was already clothed in her pajamas. She heard her parents pull into the driveway only seconds later, and pretended to be asleep as her mother tiptoed into the room.

"Clare?" She whispered. "Honey, are you up?"

Clare stilled, loosened her muscles, and lightened her breathing. She waited as her mother came to a conclusion and slowly crept toward the door.

Her phone released a screaming jangle of noise, Eli's ringtone once again, and Clare grimaced. Without thinking, she bolted up and reached for her phone, clearly awake. However, her mother managed to grab the phone before she could, and Clare saw her stiffen as she read the name on the screen.

"Eli?" Mrs. Edwards said tightly. "Isn't that the boy who caused all the trouble? The one who almost got you killed, Clare?"

Clare felt the blood drain from her face. "Uh, no!" She said hurriedly. "I must've spelled it wrong. It should be, um, Ellie, not Eli."

"Ellie?" Her mother repeated skeptically.

"Yeah." Clare nodded like a bobble head. "You know, Darcy's old classmate."

"Fine." She crossed her arms across her chest, a typical maternal stance. The phone was still ringing. "Why don't you answer her, then?"

"Erm…" Clare glanced at the small device, which was ringing and vibrating so hard it was traveling across the surface of her nightstand. "I don't want to. Ellie's been a bit of a jerk lately, and I don't know if I still want to be her friend."

Mrs. Edwards softened somewhat. "Oh, well, I'm sure you'll work it out when Darcy comes home on Friday."

"Darcy's coming home?" Clare choked. "Why?"

Her mother was surprised. "It's the holidays, Clare! _Of course_ Darcy is going to visit from Kenya. She'll meet us at the church."

"Oh. Yay." Clare let out an unenthusiastic cheer. She loved her sibling like crazy, but some things just couldn't be solved by sisterly advice, contrary to what their mother thought.

"I'll let you get some sleep now, honey." Mrs. Edwards began backing out of the room, but stopped before she closed the door. "One more thing. I almost forgot. Your father and I are going out again tomorrow night"—for weeks now, they'd been trying to mend their marriage by taking nights out away from their marital problems—"and we trust you to stay in the house and stay alone."

Her tone grew stern. "If you betray our trust, Clare, we won't hesitate to take away all your privileges. Consider yourself lucky—I heard about what's happening at the Bhandaris' house. Your friend Alli must be living the life of a prisoner right now. I can't say she rightfully deserves it, since I don't know what she was involved with, but I do believe your father and I are treating you too lightly."

Clare swallowed. The point her mother was making was not lost on her. "I understand, Mom. I won't do anything. I promise."

Mrs. Edwards smiled. "Keep that promise. Goodnight, Clare."

"Goodnight, Mom."

The door shut quietly behind her, and Clare was left in the darkness. She flicked a loose curl from her eyes, staring somberly at the ceiling. She rolled over, insomnia taking its turn. For a long hour, she tossed in turned in bed, her mind sleepless and clouded with thoughts.

Finally, her eyelids drooped and her body relaxed, and Clare fell asleep.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

It was a simple, unusual question, but it was spoken with such malice and spite that Drew visibly cringed.

"I… I was the one who told Sav to send you here." He spoke quickly, hoping he could make everything right again before his head was ripped off. "I want to apologize again. I'm sorry, Alli. I'm so sorry."

Her lips thinned into a tight, vicious line. She didn't speak. The way he was looking at her, like she meant the world to him, made her want to die. But she wasn't going to back down so easily. He made her heart race, made her palms sweaty, made her cheeks flame. And she could ignore all of it.

"I treated you like dirt, and I'm sorry I did that." Drew clenched his fists. "I gave in to… to the girl who made my brother's life a living hell." His expression changed from regretful and desperate to horrified and ashamed in a nanosecond. The entire time, he hadn't even realized who exactly he'd been fooling around with—Bianca, who'd crushed Adam's heart. The thought made Alli sick.

Alli shoved down the lump in her throat and looked around. The Dot was filled with teens, many of them on dates. She and Drew could easily be mistaken for one of those happy, ecstatic couples.

They weren't.

Alli realized that Drew had been holding her hand all along, his fingers grasping hers gently. She pulled away as if his touch was poisonous. The hurt that flickered in his deep brown eyes made her heartbeat slow, pause, and accelerate.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I love you."

Her resistance wavered involuntarily. Should she…? Would she…?

Still mute, Alli checked her surroundings once more. A few guys were casting appraising looks in her direction. A surge of confidence hit her, and she made her decision.

She bit back the sharp words she wanted to spew in his face and took a step back. With one final, parting glance, Alli turned on her heel and walked away.

She'd barely spoken a word in their one-sided conversation.

It was her personal victory.

* * *

"Since Mom isn't severely pissed at _you_, and you still have your laptop, can I borrow it to IM Eli?"

Adam, who had been chugging down a can of Dr. Pepper, choked and sprayed soda in all directions. Drew ducked, narrowly avoiding getting hit. "_Eli_?" Adam gasped, massaging his throat."What does he have anything to do with you?"

Drew shrugged. "We're friends now, I guess. I met him at the Dot last night—"

That was all Adam needed. "Right. He got into a fight and you saved his ass."

He laughed. "What? No. False assumptions don't get you anywhere, Adam. We sat and talked. He's kinda odd."

Adam smiled. "I know. That's why he's my best friend." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Anyway, how'd it go with Alli?"

Drew snatched Adam's Macbook, pressed it against his chest, and fell sideways onto the sofa. "Don't talk about it. I completely failed."

"You never cease to amaze me," Adam said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Drew ignored the verbal jab and powered up Adam's laptop. Once he logged on, the machine pinged.

**Eli: **hey adam is that u?

Drew swiftly typed,

**Adam: **nah, its drew

A few seconds passed, then Eli replied,

**Eli: **cool. heard u got girl probs

Drew turned to glare at the eavesdropper peering over his shoulder, who shrugged. "What can I say? You're an interesting subject."

**Adam: **yea. i messd up with alli. hookd up with bianca.

Adam gave his stepbrother a critical, reproachful glance. "I still can't believe you did that."  
It took a while for Eli to answer, and when he did, it was only one word that knocked the air out of Drew like a punch in the gut.

**Eli: **low.

Adam made a noise of agreement. Drew exhaled, fingers moving over the keys.

**Adam: **i kno.

There was a pause, then,

**Eli: **well, im not doin so good myself.

Drew crinkled his nose. Who was Eli with? He'd forgotten. He distinctly remembered her being a friend of Alli's.  
Adam poked his shoulder. "Clare," he said. "Eli's into Clare."  
"Right."

**Adam: **wat r u goin 2 do about it?

**Eli: **go 2 her house and figure out wats wrong.

Drew frowned.

**Adam: **dude. thats freaky stalkerish.

**Eli: **haha. funny.

**Adam: **rly.

**Eli: **well, thats wat she did 2 me.

**Adam: **whoa. good luck.

**Eli: **dont need it.

Then Eli posted a weird emoticon that held uncanny resemblance to his signature smirk, and Adam and Drew laughed.

**Review?**


	3. Two

**I'm going to try to finish this story before October 8th, but I'm a really slow writer and the eighth seems like only a few days away. But I'll try. The feedback I get from you guys is really encouraging, so... don't stop. Please.  
This chapter is rather short; I tried to focus more on Eli and Clare because, well, that's the pairing I put down for this story, so it's supposed to be the main one. Heh.  
Hope you like this chapter...**

**Chapter 3: Two**

"Maybe I should just… forgive him and take him back."

Those were the last words Alli had feebly uttered before the phone rang and cut into their conversation (again), and Clare's parents alerted her that they were coming home soon and did she want anything from the mall?

"No, Dad, but thanks. I'll see you guys later." Clare hung up (slammed the phone down, rather) and whirled around to face Alli.

"I know you love Drew," she said briskly. "And I know you hate him. Make a decision, Alli. At least _talk_ to him. You said so yourself: you were cold today."

Two things happened at once: a dark, noticeable blush crept over Alli's skin, and a devious glint appeared in her eye. They contradicted each other, canceled out one another.

"Okay," Alli said reluctantly. "I'll talk to him."

"Great!" With both hands against Alli's back, Clare pushed her toward the door. "Now go, go, before my parents come back." She stopped. "And Alli, I'm pretty sure _your _parents have noticed your absence by now."

Alli waved away her concern as if it were an irritating fly. "Forget about that. What are you going to do with Eli?"

Clare hesitated. "I—I don't know. I think we need some time apart. I'm not sure if we should go on anymore. He's… dangerous."

"But I thought you _liked _the dangerous type," Alli teased, suddenly reminded of Madame Degrassi. "Boys you can really… _sink your teeth into_."

Clare rolled her eyes. "Go, Alli."

"Fine, fine." Alli grinned. Her mood seemed to lifted after confessing her vacillating, irresolute thoughts on Drew to her best friend.

Alli left the house with a wave over her shoulder, and Clare closed the door with a sigh of relief. Her parents would be home soon; she hoped Alli could walk fast in those high heels of hers. Anyone by the name of 'Alli Bhandari' caught outside her home would be an automatic 'Go To Jail' for both of them.

Clare heard a heavy, growling car pull up into the driveway. She frowned; her parents had ditched the mini-van and driven their smaller, more convenient Toyota that evening. Was there something wrong with the engine?

There was a knock on the door, which was even stranger. Clare grabbed the knob-handle hybrid and swung the door open, her next sentence already falling from her lips.  
"Mom, did you forget your—" She began. The word 'keys' died in the back of her throat as she realized the long, lean figure in her doorway wasn't her mother at all.

Clare felt her breath catch. "Eli?"

His famous smirk reappeared. "The one and only." He stepped into the house without bothering to ask permission. "Why have you been ignoring me, my amazing Plath?"

"Sylvia Plath's husband cheated on her and she stuck her head in an oven years later." Clare stated flatly, wiping the smirk off Eli's face.

"What's wrong?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

She avoided his gaze. "I told you. It was at the end of Vegas Night, remember?"

Eli was quiet.

Clare continued, uncertain, tentative. "I don't think we should be together anymore. I mean… I'm not sure."

When she raised her head, she saw that his eyes were steel and the muscles in his jaw had considerably tightened. Then—he relaxed.

"What can I do to convince you otherwise?" He asked smoothly. He was close, incredibly close to her. So close she could catch his scent—he smelled like a mixture of incense and secrets and the woods that surrounded the edge of town.

"C-Convince?" Clare repeated, trying not to launch herself at him and cling to his chest like a koala to a eucalyptus tree. She had to restrain herself.

"I'll try to." He snaked his arm around her waist, causing her to shiver. Eli pulled Clare toward him, his other arm wrapping around her shoulders as he closed the remaining inches between them and captured her lips with his.

_Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod! _ran through her head hyperactively. Her fingers tangled in his dark locks as she instinctively stepped back while still connected to him, leading Eli farther into the house. Clare's lips parted as he ran his fingers up and down her spine and held her even closer. She nibbled on his bottom lip, heard him groan and crush himself to her.

At some point, Clare realized two things:

1) Her parents were going to arrive any second.

2) She should be breaking up with her boyfriend, not making out with him.

Clare quickly pulled away from Eli, staring wide-eyed at him. "You… I can't …"

"Just give me a chance, Edwards. I'm not perfect, but I can change." His voice was firm, serious, believable. Trustworthy.

She would let him prove himself to her. It must've been a first for him."Alright, Goldsworthy," Clare said softly. "I will." She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. "Just—just get out of my house, will you? My parents are on the way."

"Right." He didn't kiss her again, just smiled and lingered a bit, his fingers brushing hers, before he walked out the front door. "Later, Clare," he said, and hopped into Morty and drove away.

What seemed like only seconds later, the front door opened once more and Mr. Edwards blinked down at his younger daughter, his wife following behind him.

"Did you see that hearse?" Mrs. Edwards was remarking with a shudder. "It gave me the chills."

"No, but I—" They both abruptly fell silent when they spotted their daughter.

"Clare!" Mr. Edwards exclaimed, breaking the silence. "What happened to you?"

Clare stood there with her hair tousled, her face flushed and her eyes glassy, totally breathless.

She shook her head, jarring herself from her swirling thoughts, and managed an angelic smile for her daddy. It had worked when she was six. A decade later, she still hoped it held its magic. "I tried out your new treadmill."

Mrs. Edwards came up the steps to stand beside her husband. "In _that_, darling?" She said dubiously, pointing to Clare's beautiful flowery dress, brown cardigan, and mocha-colored flats. The dress was wrinkled and the sweater was sliding off one shoulder.

Clare shrugged. "It was fun."

* * *

Alli sat at the dinner table, fork gripped tightly in her hand. She wasn't hungry. Her parents were nicely pretending not to notice her lack of appetite by discussing politics and not looking at her full plate.

Beside her, a hungry Sav dug into his food eagerly. With each passing day of the break, Sav was starting to smell less and less of curry and brother-ness, and more and more of Holly J Sinclair's perfume. Either Alli had an exceptionally strong sense of smell, or Sav was spending too much time with his girlfriend.

She still hadn't talked to Drew, like she told Clare she would, and was suddenly afraid that he would get back together with Bianca. Was that possible? Was Drew _that_ type of guy?

Probably.

"Alliah," her mother instructed calmly, "eat."

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

Mrs. Bhandari chewed, swallowed, and changed the subject. "Your father and I have made a decision."

Alli frowned, dropping her fork. "What?"

"We're going to un-ground you."

Alli stared at them in shock. A missed beat later, Sav protested, shooting a knowing look to his sister. "Mom, Dad, that's not fair!"

"Savtaj, it is more than fair." Mr. Bhandari said coldly. "What you did with—with that _girl _is a disgrace to our family name. You shamed us."

Underneath the table, Sav clenched his fists, his faux anger becoming real. Alli nudged him with her leg, and he simmered down slightly.

"You're right," He said coolly. "I'm sorry, Mother and Father."

Alli stifled her snickers at his formal reply, and Sav hid his smile.

"So… I'm free now?" Alli asked hopefully. 'Free' meant she didn't need to sneak out to Clare's anymore—she could simply feed her parents a lie about going to the library, then slip into her friend's house at the right time.

She could solve her problems with Drew.

Mrs. Bhandari smiled. "Yes, Alli," she said. "You are free."

**Review?**


	4. Of

**Thanks for all the love! I _will_ add more Eclare fluff, 'cause the story's mostly centered around them, and I adore this couple so much.  
Another short chapter, but I like this one. It has an Eli monologue-thingy, haha.  
Hope you like it too...**

**Chapter 4: Of**

Eli touched his bottom lip. It was tingling like crazy, and he didn't understand why. He'd made out with Julia hundreds of times when they'd been together. They'd even… even slid to home plate. But she'd never affected him the way Clare did.

He remembered how his life had been after Julia's death. He'd sat around the house with nothing inside, an empty hollow shell, someone whose soul had died with his girlfriend. His parents tried to 'cure' him, tried to turn him back into the perfect son they'd had before the accident. He resisted until they gave up; when they finally surrendered, he painted his wardrobe black and found comfort in loud, pounding, despair-filled music.

Eli's parents acted like they didn't care anymore, but they did. They sent him to Degrassi, so he could start over. Against their hopes and wishes, he started school with as much attitude as needed to ward off anyone who would even _consider_ being his friend.

And then he met a girl named Clare, with gorgeous cerulean eyes and a few curls hanging over one eye—and life began to hold meaning again. It was so clichéd, like the rest of his sixteen years alive had been, but it was true. He easily befriended Sav and Adam, though he didn't even try to be nice to people like Fitz and Bianca, and decided to live up to his new personality and reputation. His parents were happy he was fully functioning again. Though they hated the '_new _Elijah' he'd created, they were cautious and didn't push him to be the bronze boy he'd been before.

Bronze—at his old school, he hadn't been a golden jock with tons of popularity. Not even a minor, 'silver' guy. But he'd been a well-liked kid, respected by his peers, 'crushable' by the standards of the girls around him. He knew he was bronze, but he had a feeling that his last name would eventually do him justice. Having the surname 'Goldsworthy' was a sure sign of being the most popular guy in school, when the time came.

But now, at Degrassi, known as Eli instead of Elijah, was he even bronze-worthy?

No. His best friend was a boy in a girl's body, he had a bad reputation of insulting others _with _bad reputations, and he was basically acknowledged as 'emo-dude'.

And he was fine with it.

Chuckling, Eli got up and headed for the front door. His parents, watching TV from their spots in the living room, didn't even stir.

_This isn't a good way of parenting_, Eli thought with amusement. He could've been out to taunt Fitz, to actually get killed, and his parents would easily let him do so with a weak "You're grounded, young man" that fell on deaf ears.

He walked out, the door slamming noisily behind him, a smirk on his face. He didn't if her parents were there or she wasn't in the mood to be charmed by him. Eli was going to sweep Clare off her feet and take her along with him, the thrashing sounds of punk-metal heralding their exit.

* * *

"What are you doing here?"

It was Drew's turn to ask the question, but he didn't spit it as harshly as she had. Instead, he sounded more surprised than angry. Something else flashed in his eyes… was it _panic_?

"I, um…" Alli was rarely nervous. This seemed like one of those rare times. "I wanted to apologize for being such a bitch yesterday." She clasped her hands in her lap and looked away. "But… the situation with Bianca and your mom… I feel like I _deserve _to be a bitch to you."

Drew sighed. "I know. You do. And I'm sorry for everything, Alli."

She smiled slightly. "Really?"

"Really." He touched the side of her face, his palm against her skin. His thumb caressed her cheek, and her heart hammered crazily. "I promise I won't do it again. I told my mom about you—and when she didn't believe me, I begged her not to tell her theories to your parents."

"That's impossible," Alli breathed. "Your mom is…"

"A sociopath, I know." Drew smirked. "But I persuaded her. You're not innocent in her eyes yet, but…"

"Thank you." Her voice was the warmest it'd been in a while. "For protecting me." He hadn't succeeded in defending her, but protecting her from the wrath of her strict parents was good enough.

"So…" Drew lifted his eyebrows and tilted up her chin with his fingers. She grinned and pursed her lips suggestively. He leaned across the table, wondering how he had succeeded so easily, won her heart once more without something interfering—

"Drew!"

Drew went rigid. Dread spread through his veins from his heart to the rest of his body. In what seemed like slow motion to him, Alli narrowed her eyes and hissed to the owner of the voice, "Marisol."

Marisol crossed her arms. Icily, she said, "Hello, Alli."

"Why are you here?" Alli's tone was even frostier than Marisol's.

Drew knew what Marisol was going to say. He braced himself.

"Why don't you ask _Drew_?" She hissed. "He's my _date_."

A range of emotions blazed across Alli's face. Finally, she ripped herself away from Drew and stared at him in pure disbelief.

"I can explain," he said weakly. "I was… trying to make you jealous."

Marisol whipped around to face him with fury. "_Excuse me?_" She screeched. "I went on this date and _kissed you_ just so you could get back with your ex-girlfriend?"

Alli recoiled. The look she shot him was full of disgust, and it pierced his heart like a dagger.

"You make me sick," she whispered, and she left.

* * *

"It was partly your fault for forgiving him so easily," Clare asserted, when Alli told her what had occurred the day before.

"You _told _me to forgive him!" Alli exploded.

"I didn't!" Clare protested. "I just said you should talk to him!"

"I did," Alli said quietly, blinking back tears. "And what good did that do?"

Clare felt a stab of guilt, though she knew she wasn't the one to blame. Still, she'd gone against her friend and yelled when she wanted nothing but comfort. "Alli…" she began, ready to launch into a sympathetic and emotional speech.

A knock on the door stopped her. With a startled shout, Clare gripped Alli's arm and dragged her toward the back door. "Oh my God, my parents are home! Go, go!"

"Don't be so paranoid, Clare. It's not your mom and dad," Alli told her, peering out the patterned glass that covered part of the door. "It's… Eli." Her voice sounded flat and dull as she said his name. "Great."

"What do you have against Eli?" Clare asked with a frown.

"Nothing, it's just…" Alli swiped at her slightly wet eyes and pulled the door open. "I'm gonna go now. My dad still thinks I'm at the library, doing the homework the stupid teachers gave us."

"Oh," said Clare, disappointed. "See you tomorrow, then?"

She shook her head. "Actually, I… I have this _thing_ tomorrow. So… Friday?"

"Um… Darcy's coming home."

"Right. Well, I'll call you, then." Alli gave her a watery smile, glared at Eli on her way out, and marched off the Edwards' property.

Clare watched her go, then turned to Eli, who was leaning against the doorframe with a smirk (_his _smirk) on his face.

"Hi," she said, trying to leash down her blooming smile. She failed; her grin grew to the length of a city block.

"Excited to see me?"

Her smile faded. "If you put it that way…"

Eli, alarmed, hastily changed the topic. "Never mind. Let's go. I want to take you somewhere."

Clare blinked. "You want to take me somewhere?"

He smirked again. "Yeah. Come on."

**Review?**


	5. Us

**This is full of fluff, but there WILL be more trouble. *cackles*  
Hope you like this chapter...**

**Chapter 5: Us**

"I don't know if this is your idea of _romantic_," Clare commented, half-jokingly and half-solemnly. "But I think it's really creepy."

In other places and at other times, Eli would've laughed, or smiled, or at least smirked. But now, standing over his dead girlfriend's grave, the only thing he could give Clare was a sorrowful glance.

The cemetery was empty, except for them. The scent of sickeningly sweet flowers, and sadness and death drifted listlessly in the air. Eli inhaled deeply, grimacing when the odd stench devoured his senses. He looked at Clare helplessly.

"I brought you here to tell you that… that I'm _over _her, but I don't think I am. Not yet."

She stared at him, shocked that Eli had actually showed some true emotion. Was Julia only worthy of this different side of him? Did Eli ever talk about _Clare_ in that strangely poignant way?

"I… it's okay," she said finally. "I know how you feel."

But the truth was, she didn't. She'd gotten past KC and his inability to stay faithful to her faster than thought possible. She'd moved on, to flutter after Declan with big hearts in her eyes and create vampiric stories about him, while only a teeny-tiny bit of her heart strayed back to KC now and then.

Clare brushed her thumb against the back of Eli's hand. He jerked away.

"You shouldn't be comforting me," he said. "I should be chasing after you, shouldn't I?"

Oh. Right.

She leaned close to his face, but didn't kiss him. For once, she didn't feel the need to. Besides, kissing in front of his ex-girlfriend's grave would just be… _wrong_.

"Chase me," Clare said, and copy-pasted his trademark smirk onto her face, momentarily stunning him.

She bolted.

It only took him a second to recover, and Eli ran after her once he was able to move again. He caught up to her quickly; he'd always been moderately fast. Eli tackled her to the ground, and she laughed, wrestling with him like a baby cub.

"You know," Clare began conversationally, "I've never played two-person tag in a graveyard before."

"Mmm-hmm." His nose touched hers in a sweet Eskimo kiss. "Yeah, I haven't, either. I've only sat and wallowed in my own misery."

"But you're not wallowing anymore," she replied.

"No," Eli said, "I don't think so."

He grinned, and his upper lip grazed her bottom one. Instantaneously, her eyes widened and she rolled over, sending both of them tumbling into a gravestone.

Eli winced as his head crashed into the chipped side of the stone. Jumping up, he rubbed his sore skull with one hand, using the other to help Clare to her feet.

"Sorry," she apologized quickly, worried. "Are you okay?"

The pain miraculously subdued when he realized _she was genuinely concerned_. "Yeah, I'm fine. But I swear, you're going to kill me someday, Clare."

He rarely used her proper name, but when he did, it seemed to light up her entire day. "Ironic, isn't it?" She said, allowing her wide grin to consume her face. "We're in a graveyard."

Eli arched a brow. "Why are you smiling like that?"

Clare hugged him so hard he felt like his internal organs would burst. Waves of forgiveness radiated from her body to his."I don't know, Eli," she said. "You just make me happy."

* * *

"Mom, please. Just let me out tonight," Drew pleaded. He needed freedom. His own household was suffocating him, smothering him.

Adam understood. "Yeah, Mom," he said immediately, rushing to help Drew. "Let him out. I'll follow him, keep an eye on him. He won't do anything reckless."

Both brothers were perfectly aware that Adam's claims were false.

Mrs. Torres narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure, Adam? Will you _promise _to keep him away from that awful girl?"

Oh, God. Parents were so obsessed with promises.

"Yes, I will," Adam said, with as much sincerity as he could muster. "I promise, Mom."

Audra leaned back, satisfied. "Good. You can go."

They shuffled toward the door excitedly, a huge grin curving across Drew's face. He couldn't stand this confinement anymore. He was so happy that he could be free.

"Oh, Drew," Audra spoke up just as they opened the front door. He turned around with barely disguised dismay, his grin faltering and slipping away.

"Yeah?"

She smiled at her little boy. "I hope you've learned your lesson."

He inhaled sharply, forcing a bright smile for his mom. "I have, Mom, thanks. I've learned my lesson."

Adam pushed him out the door with an eye-roll. "Yeah, of course. Let's go, Drew."

"Uh-huh." He breathed in the fresh air streaming in from outside—it was a little chilly, but he didn't care—and had the sudden urge to play football. After his mother had recovered from her cold, she'd watched him for days, never letting him out of her sight. To Drew, three days were a lot of time.

Drew let out a whoop as he scurried down the steps and turned to grin at Adam. "Let's do something," he suggested. "Something fun. I'm free!"

Adam tugged on the small visor of his beanie. "Don't let it get to your head."

"Too late for that," he said, his voice spiked with adrenaline. He jumped up and laughed, and his laughter was full of happiness.

"Drew?"

He froze in mid-air, before the bottoms of his sneakers slammed back down to the ground. He turned slowly to Alli, standing across the street on the sidewalk. She stood there quietly, her eyes bright like they used to be whenever he did something particularly adorable. However, the rest of her seemed to contradict the clear emotion flickering in her eyes; she was straight and stiff like a soldier, her face so tight and devoid of feeling that she was starting to resemble Drew's mother.

"Uh… Alli. Hi. What brings you here?"

She stared at him, still motionless. Even from afar, he could tell she wasn't wearing a hint of makeup. It changed her face drastically; with her bangs rumpled and her face makeup-free, she looked natural, carefree and… hotter than usual. Was that possible? Or was Drew just really, really, really sick of messing up their relationship and wanted her back more than anything in the world?

Maybe it was both.

"I, um…" Alli held up her notebook. "I'm going to the library. I wanted to walk. I needed fresh air." Her breath came out in little puffs—was it really so cold outside already?

"Oh." Drew had forgotten that he lived practically next door to the town library. "Well, ah, have fun. At the library, I mean."

They looked at each other for a long moment, neither one daring to break eye contact. It was strange.

"Hey, you two!" Adam called out at last, sitting down on the grass. It had yellowed from the season change like an older man with graying hair. "Can't you forgive and forget? Alli, Drew is a screw-up. We all know that. But it's definitely lovable, when you think about it. Just hug and make up, alright?"

Alli took a step forward. Then another. Before anyone knew what was going on, she ran across the street and up the Torres' driveway, and flew into Drew's arms. Her lips found his and she kissed him, fingers curling into the back of his skinny zip-up hoodie. He kissed her back fervently, eyes still wide with shock as he held her firmly in his arms.

"Or… you can make out instead of old-fashioning hugging," Adam said sarcastically. He sighed, standing up slowly from the ground.

"Wait, stop." Alli broke away from Drew. "We shouldn't do this. I can't forgive you so easily."

Adam groaned. "Are you kidding? He's been apologizing since Vegas Night!"

Drew ignored his brother. "Alli…" he started, his promising tone rising into a plea. "C'mon. Please. I'm sorry. I _won't _do it again—and-and…"

"Well…" her voice trailed off and she looked up at him hopefully.

He took advantage of her silent reverie and kissed her, hard, holding her as tightly as a toddler would hold his teddy bear.

The door of the house flew open, and Adam, Drew, and Alli froze at once.

"What are you _doing_?" Mrs. Torres shrieked.

Adam smiled. "I'll see you guys later. I'm going to Eli's." It was clear that Drew's freedom would be taken away before he even left his family's property, so Adam wouldn't be needed as a babysitter. With a two-fingered salute, Adam twisted his beanie around and sauntered away.

"Hi, Mom," Drew said calmly, his arm still around Alli's shoulders. She had become as immobile and unmoving as a sculpture. He gave her a comforting squeeze. "This is my girlfriend, Alli. And I don't care what you think—she's mine."

**Review?**


	6. Just

**No, I am not trying to pair Adam with a Mary-Sue OC. She's just part of the plot. (You'll see what I mean.)  
****I'm obviously not going to get this story done by Friday, when the new episodes air, but please keep reading and bear with me, and REVIEW!  
Hope you like this chapter...**

**Chapter 6: Just**

"My mom's threatening to drag me to church. Should I go?" Eli raised his eyebrows and looked down at Clare, who was snuggling against his side. "You go there all the time, right?"

"_My_ mom is a hardcore Christian. I have no choice." She grinned up at him. For the last ten minutes, Eli had been complaining about his 'weird, nutjob' mother, who had decided to convert to Christianity out of the blue.

Clare glanced at her watch. "Speaking of church, I gotta get there soon. Darcy's coming home."

Eli looked confused. "Church? But… today's Friday. My mom's only there because she can't wait till Sunday." He snorted.

Clare shrugged. "My parents are there, like, every single day of the week."

"Can I come with you today?" He chuckled.

"No! They'll die on the spot." She closed her eyes. "Come when lots of other people are there, and _don't _tell my parents that you're 'the famous Eli', okay? I'm supposed to be caged back at home, remember?"

He attempted to loosen her up. "But If I just walk in there, won't people mistake me for the devil?" He smirked.

"Oh, grow up," Clare teased, sticking out her tongue.

Their relationship had definitely improved. Like Drew and Alli, the problems between them had been solved, and all was forgiven.

As long as Eli didn't get into another fight.

Eli was just about to kiss her when someone jiggled the doorknob. "Elijah? I forgot my keys, could you open the door? Why'd you lock it?" Eli's mom called out, her voice slightly muffled.

"I didn't lock it, Ma. Don't get frustrated."

Clare turned to her boyfriend, alarmed. Mrs. Goldsworthy, an odd woman who had apparently tampered with her own personality and mentally hurt herself in the process, was bizarrely tolerant of Clare being around. Still, she was a mom, and all moms—even ones with weird behaviors—were uncomfortable with their children being in relationships.

"I should go," Clare said hurriedly, leaping up from the warm couch.

"No, no," Eli said, pulling her back down. She fell into his lap. With a smirk, he pulled off his shirt to reveal his smooth, chiseled chest and wrapped his arms around her before she could escape.

Her eyes widened and her mouth went dry at his bare torso. "Wha—what are you doing?"

He smiled and whispered into her ear, "Shocking her."

As if on cue, the door bust open and Mrs. Goldsworthy stormed in, a rush of frosty air following her into the house. She glanced around the living room and saw her son, who was shirtless and had a girl on his lap, and her face went slack.

Someone who had trailed behind Mrs. Goldsworthy stopped at the doorway. Someone who was barely taller than Clare, her age. Someone beautiful and familiar with long, wavy hair and narrow eyes.

"_Clare_?" Darcy gasped incredulously. Her jaw dropped at the sight of her little sister, who had once worn nothing but her old private school uniform, now in the arms of some half-naked stranger.

Clare opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

_Oh, hello, sis, _she wanted to say. _Please don't tell Mom and Dad_. Darcy, of all people, would know not to tell their parents. It would be hypocritical to do so, tattling on her younger sibling for sneaking out to be with a guy.

Eli pressed his lips to Clare's neck like a vampire, then kissed and sucked her skin hard enough to leave a hickey. Darcy and Mrs. Goldsworthy both visibly flinched at this.

_Thanks for fanning the flames!_ Clare twisted around to glare at him.

He smirked.

"Hey, you must be Darcy," he said, lifting his head. "I'm Eli. Howzit?"

As Darcy stared at him speechlessly, Clare raised her eyes to the ceiling and prayed to the mighty creator in the sky she had mentally spoken to so many times before.

_God,_ she begged helplessly, _please kill me now_.

* * *

"Third wheel," Adam muttered under his breath, kicking a pebble. The winter sky was darkening quickly, and the park was mostly vacant. But he didn't care; he'd rather be outside, his fingers numb from the cold, than sitting at the dinner table at home, where Alli was talking animatedly to Omar Torres about some science-y mathematical thing Adam barely understood, only stopping to smile at Drew and lace her fingers with his underneath the tablecloth, where they were also playing footsie. Adam had had the misfortune of discovering this lovesick flirting when he'd accidentally dropped his fork and had to crawl under the table to fetch it.

No one said a word to him at dinner.

Adam wasn't sure how Drew had done it, but he'd managed to convince their mother of Alli's innocence. Audra had been reluctant to accept, but felt guilty enough afterward to invite Alli over for dinner. The lovebirds were practically floating at Mrs. Torres's sudden open-mindedness.

Adam sat down on a bench, rubbing his tired eyes. He suddenly felt like the world was about to crash down onto his back, and he would be forced to lift it like the titan Atlas in Greek mythology.

"Hey, Adam!"

…And then the pressure of the world dissolved to nothing.

"Eli!" He jumped up. "Where have you been?"

Eli shrugged, ambling toward him. "Clare came over. Her sister Darcy gave my mom a ride home from church, 'cause Mom lost her license so long ago. Darcy saw Clare on top of me. Annnnndd they left for church together." He paused. "The end."

Adam gaped at his friend, who had spoken so quickly he could barely comprehend. "_What_?"

Eli shrugged once more. "Whatever. Hey, where's Drew?"

There was a beat of silence, then a tidal wave of anger rushed through Adam. Losing all control, he exploded. "Why are you asking about _Drew_?" He shouted. "_I'm _your best friend! You haven't talked to me in _days_! I didn't even know you got back with Clare! What the _fuck_, Eli?"

Eli took a step back, startled. Adam rarely swore, but his words rang true. With his parents choosing to be ignorant and his girlfriend giving him the cold shoulder, Eli should've gone to find Adam in the first place. He hadn't, though. He'd befriended his best friend's stepbrother and chased after Clare in his free time.

"I'm sorry," Eli said quietly. "I didn't mean—" he stopped. Were those _tears_ clinging to Adam's lashes? "Are you… are you crying?"

He glared at him with frustrated, bloodshot blue eyes. "Am I being too much of a _girl _again?"

It was so out-of-character that Eli was stunned."No, Adam, I—"

Adam returned to his seat on the bench and buried his face in the long sleeves of his hoodie. "Go away, Eli. Leave me alone."

"Adam…"

"_GO!_"

So he did.

Minutes passed and the sky began to bruise purple, but Adam didn't move.

_What's wrong with me?_ He moaned internally. _Why am I being such a girl? Girls cry over their friends. Guys don't. I'm a guy. A guy. I'm a guy in a girl's body, but the girl in me never shows herself._

_Except now_.

He could blame it on PMS if he wanted to. He really _was_ a girl, though he was a boy 'between the ears', and he couldn't change biology.

He hated it.

Someone sat next to him on the bench.

"Go away, Eli." He didn't look up.

A surprisingly feminine voice spoke up. "I'm not Eli."

His head snapped up, and he met the clear warm eyes of the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, greeting him with a kind smile.

"Hello," she said, and touched his tearstained cheek like she'd known him all her life.

"Hello," he whispered, and the world was lifted from his shoulders once again.

* * *

"I can't believe it, Clare," Darcy laughed softly. "I'm impressed."

Clare blushed, embarrassed. "I'm sorry you had to see that. We don't… we don't usually act like that together."

"I could tell," she laughed. "You looked like you were going to pass out."

"Hey!" Clare protested lightly, half-smiling.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You looked like you were having the time of your life." Darcy grinned. Her demeanor abruptly changed, switching from playful to wistful in mere seconds. "You've changed, Clare. For the better."

She looked up hopefully at her sister. "Really?"

"Really." Her smile was warm and inviting.

Before Darcy could react, Clare threw her arms around her and squeezed. "I've missed you," she whispered into the fabric of her shirt.

"I've missed you too," Darcy said softly. Her expression suddenly became guarded. "Just… just be careful, okay?"

Clare crinkled her brow in confusion. "Huh?"

"Be careful around your boyfriend," Darcy explained, warning her. "He seems dangerous."

**Review?**


	7. Need

**You guys watched the show last night, right? I was literally jumping up and down on the couch. I can't believe Drew went through all that trouble, then just watched her go. And then that trailer featuring Fiona came on and... ugh. That guy moves on too fast.  
Should I continue this, even with the new episodes? This could be an AU-ish story. I dunno. Tell me what you think... I might just stop completely. I was planning on this big Eli/Clare scene toward the end...  
Hope you like this chapter. It might be the last.**

**Chapter 7: Need**

"Sorry," Eli said, looping his arm around her waist. "I can't hang out today. Why don't you go to Alli's house? Your parents un-grounded you, right?"\

Clare frowned. With her sister by her side, Clare had wheedled her parents into taking away her punishment for the rest of the break. But Clare had mostly planned on spending her time with Eli.

But now that she thought about it, she hadn't been spending much time with Alli, her best friend, at all. She'd lied to her about hanging out on Friday, when she'd really been cuddling with Eli, discovered by her sister (whose plane had landed early).

"Right. I guess they did." Clare made a decision. She was going to Alli's house to confess and apologize, and she hoped Alli would still accept her as a friend.

Minutes later, after she'd kissed Eli goodbye and left, Clare arrived at the Bhandaris' house. She rang the doorbell and stepped back.

The door flew open, and a disgruntled Sav stared down at her with bed-head hair and Mickey Mouse boxers. "Clare?"

Clare tried to sound perky. "Hey, Sav, is Alli home?"

He shook his head. "She's out with Drew. You can come back later, though."

"Oh." She wilted, disappointed. "Well… see you later, then."

"Yeah." Sav nodded. "Just don't wake me up next time."

Clare stopped halfway down the front steps. "Sav…" she said slowly, turning around. "It's three in the afternoon."

He shrugged. "Well, my parents are home, so I can't sneak out. It's not like I have anything better to do, anyway."

Clare laughed, waved, and began walking away. When she reached the sidewalk to pick up her bike, however, she accidentally slammed into an unexpected pedestrian.

"Sorry!" She said quickly, before realizing just _who_ she had bumped into.

"Hi, Clare," said Alli, surprised.

"Hi," Clare looked down at her feet. "Um… I came to apologize."

"You already did," Alli said with a smile. She seemed more cheerful than usual. "When you crashed into me."

"No, not that."

"I know."

Clare raised her head and met her eyes. "I've been a bad friend, haven't I?"

Alli was silent.

"Do you remember when you asked to hang out on Friday?" Clare asked.

"Yeah. You said Darcy was coming home."

She sighed. "Well… she did. But I was with Eli for most of the day."

Alli stared at her.

"I'm sorry," Clare said, as if she was pleading with her, "for not being with you and helping you with your problems."

"I'm sorry too," Alli said quietly, "for not supporting you. I kept all the attention on _me_ when we talked. We never got to discuss you and Eli."

Clare held her arms open, and Alli hugged her. Both friends forgave each other in the middle of the street, the neighbors watching curiously and the cold biting their faces.

* * *

"I met the most beautiful girl the other day," Adam said blissfully, smiling. "But… but the thing is, she has a boyfriend."

Drew and Eli stared at him.

"Drop it," Drew said immediately. "If she's in a relationship, don't screw things up by making her cheat."

At the same time, Eli said boldly, "Fight for her. Maybe her boyfriend is a total asshole. You'll be a hero, saving the day."

"Are you _kidding_?" The two said in unison, eyes locked on each other. "That's a horrible idea!" That, too, was spoken at the same time.

"Ugh," Adam said, shuddering. "You guys are like twins."

They both whipped around to glare at him.

"Look," Adam sighed. "Her boyfriend wants to talk to me now. He saw us and freaked out."

"Awesome," Eli said excitedly, "Beat the shit out of him!"

"No!" Drew rolled his eyes. "Just talk to him. _Talk_."

"Men don't talk about their girlfriends without beating people up," Eli said matter-of-factly. "Every guy should know that."

"Well, Adam's _not _a guy!" Drew snapped.

Adam recoiled immediately, stung.

"I didn't mean that," Drew apologized quickly, feeling awful. His stomach clenched.

"Yeah, he didn't mean that." Eli tried.

Drew narrowed his eyes and hissed, "You're not helping."

"It doesn't matter," Adam said flatly. "I'll see you… you _guys_ later."

He turned on his heel and trudged away.

* * *

"So, you're Adam?" The boy, Jon-something, sneered. He had two thuggish friends at his side, both of them guffawing like idiots.

Drew smiled politely. "No, I'm Adam's brother. This is my friend, Eli. Adam couldn't come to meet you, so we came."

Jon laughed harshly. "What, the wuss didn't have the guts to come here himself? Or, should I say, the _balls _to come here? Since he doesn't have any himself, that is."

Eli ground his teeth together so loudly that Drew could hear them gnash and grate behind him. He calmed his friend with an elbow to the ribs.

"No, he was just busy," Drew said simply. "We want to talk to you about your girlfriend."

Jon laughed ruthlessly. "Yeah, didn't know she was homo. She said she ain't done nothing, but I don't believe her. I _caught _her with her tongue down that trannie's throat!"

Eli took a step forward, seething with anger, but Drew pulled him back. He was having trouble keeping his fury in check, too, but he had enough restraint to know that getting into a fight with this guy would be a bad choice.

"Ooh," Jon taunted. "Getting mad, aren't you? Gonna throw a tantrum, Goth Boy?" His two friends sniggered loudly.

Jon, satisfied by his friends' reactions, turned back to Drew. "Anyway, midget, tell your tranny brother"—he paused intentionally—"or _sister_"—he stopped again and let a smirk curl onto his face—"or whatever the hell that thing is to back off and stay away from my girl."

A silent second passed by.

Eli swung his fist, ready to knock Jon's teeth out, but Jon ducked before the punch could do any harm. He laughed, a crazy laugh that would scare people shitless, and his thug friends growled at Eli.

"Come and get me, faggot."

Drew kicked him in the stomach as if he were a football on the field. Jon immediately doubled over, and his friends began to advance on the two boys. Eli was punched in the face, his nose creating a sickening crack as it broke, blood rushing out and spilling onto his clothes.

"Ugh," Eli snarled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. He spun around to face Jon, who had recovered and was charging toward him like a frothing bull. Eli smashed his fist into the side of his face, and Jon roared in pain, grabbing the back of Eli's head and slamming him into the brick wall of a nearby building.

Ouch.

Drew, being an experienced quarterback, was having much more luck than Eli was. Jon's enormous friends were big, but they were incredibly unfit and easily to defeat. Within minutes, they both wheezing like injured old men, leaving Drew with only a few painful spots that would blossom into bruises in the next day.

"Let's go!" Jon called to his friends, once Eli had slid down to the ground, lightheaded. The two gigantic boys lumbered after Jon, gasping for breath as they left.

Drew narrowed his eyes, but didn't go after them.

"Eli," he said, kneeling beside his friend, immediately turning his attention to him. "Are you okay?"

Eli, eyes still a little unfocused, managed to glare at him. "Do I _look _okay, you bastard?"

Drew smiled sheepishly, glad to hear that his friend could still form coherent sentences. "Well…"

Eli paled suddenly, the color washing from his face. "Clare," he said.

Drew frowned. "What? You want your girlfriend right now? Eli, you have to get up. Come on, I'll support you. The injury's not that bad."

"No," Eli uttered, pointing. "_Clare._"

Drew turned around, and there she was, frozen on the sidewalk with a mixed expression. Horror, concern, and disbelief flashed across Clare's face as she got a clear view of Eli, who sat slumped against the wall. His nose was bloody, his shirt dyed red with the same substance, and a huge, nasty scrape from the building's brick exterior covering one side of his face. Then

Clare spotted Drew's swelling knuckles, the bloodstains yards away from the guys, and put two and two together.

"You got into another fight," she whispered. Shock flickered in her eyes.

And then, betrayal.

**Review?**


End file.
